Relict progradational beach ridge complex on Cat Island in Mississippi Sound

Conference · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:5111156

Rucker, J B; Snowden, J O ^[1]

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1. Univ. of New Orleans, LA (USA)

Comparative field and aerial photographic studies of the Mississippi-Alabama Gulf Coast barrier islands reveal that Cat Island, the westernmost barrier island in the series, is unique in having a large number of prominent, forested beach ridges. The Cat island ridge complex is composed of three distinct sets of subparallel east-west-trending ridges. The ridge set on the south side of the island is younger and less well-developed than the older two sets. The beach ridge sands are characterized by an ilmenite-kyanite-staurolite heavy mineral assemblage, which indicates an eastern source, ultimately the southern Appalachian igneous-metamophric complex. This mineralogy distinguishes the barrier island complex from the nearby Mississippi River deltaic sediments, which are characterized by an amphibole-rich heavy mineral suite. There is considerable evidence that the barrier island system predates the eastward progradation of the St. Bernard lobe of the Mississippi delta complex, which began its eastward progradation about 3,000 years ago and continued until its abandonment approximately 1,500 years ago.

• OSTI ID: 5111156
• Report Number(s): CONF-8910221--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 73:9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
ALABAMA
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
DEPOSITION
EROSION
FEDERAL REGION IV
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
GEOMORPHOLOGY
GULF COAST
ISLANDS
MISSISSIPPI
NORTH AMERICA
USA